Interrelations between strategic orientation, knowledge management, innovation and performance. Empirical findings from a national survey in Germany

Our research interest is to examine the interrelations of strategic orientation, knowledge management (KM), innovation and performance. To analyse this interplay, we primarily consult the knowledge based view (KBV) of the firm in combination with the concept of organisational ambidexterity. Our empirical data has been generated by a national survey, where senior management executives of 2,933 German companies have been asked for self‐ratings, which we analysed with the help of structural equation modelling (SEM). Accordingly, our results allow for a discussion of rare generalisable data and results. Our findings indicate that both market and resource orientation show a moderate positive impact on KM. We can confirm a strong positive relationship between KM and innovation. Eventually, we can support a strong positive impact of innovation on performance. The latter has been measured by variables providing information on financial, market and motivational aspects of performance.